Homemade Bread Bowls - Bread Bowl Recipe - easy food (2024)

70 Shares

This Homemade Bread Bowls recipe is a simple way to make fresh baked bread perfect for soup and chili. Making bread can seem daunting but I promise, this is a recipe you can totally do!

Homemade Bread Bowls

Anytime I make one of my favorite soup recipes I try to find bread bowls at the grocery store bakery. For some reason, I can almost never find any. That is what finally prompted me to just start making them myself.

Truly, even though there are several steps to this recipe, it isn’t difficult. With the exception of possibly yeast, you more than likely already have everything you need in your pantry right now.

Homemade Bread Bowls - Bread Bowl Recipe - easy food (2)

Bread Bowl Recipe

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make your own homemade bread bowls:

  • All Purpose Flour
  • Fast Rise Active Yeast
  • White Sugar
  • Brown Sugar
  • Water – warm water to make the dough and cold water for the bread bath.
  • Butter – melted.
  • Salt – just a pinch.
  • Baking Soda – only for the bread bath.
Homemade Bread Bowls - Bread Bowl Recipe - easy food (3)

Here is what you’ll do:

  1. Make the yeast mixture.
  2. Allow it to rise.
  3. Add in the flour and salt to make dough.
  4. Knead the dough.
  5. Cover and allow to rise again until it has doubled in size.
  6. Separate into six smaller dough balls.
  7. Dip the dough into the bread bath.
  8. Score the tops with a sharp knife.
  9. Bake on 400 for 15 minutes.
  10. Allow the bread to cool then slice off the top and remove the inside of the bread to make a bowl.

The full directions are down below in the recipe box, with a button to print this out and save or screenshot to your phone.

Homemade Bread Bowls - Bread Bowl Recipe - easy food (4)

Make your favorite savory soup or a big bowl of chili and enjoy these bread bowls. I am so excited for everyone to try this delicious recipe. Enjoy!

Homemade Bread Bowls - Bread Bowl Recipe - easy food (5)

Homemade Bread Bowls

This Homemade Bread Bowls recipe is a simple way to make fresh baked bread perfect for soup and chili.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Course

Servings 6

Ingredients

Bread Ingredients

  • 2 ¾ cup all purpose flour + a little extra for dusting
  • 2 ¼ tsp fast rise active yeast
  • 1 tbsp white sugar
  • ¼ cup of brown sugar
  • 1 cup warm water 105-120 degrees
  • cup butter melted
  • pinch of salt

Bread Bath Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tbsp baking soda

Instructions

Directions

  • Place sugars, yeast and water to a mixing bowl. (If you can, test the temperature of the water. It should be around 110 degrees, but no hotter than 120 degrees. A good way to test, is to aim for the same temperature you would make a baby bottle. It should be warm but not hot.)

  • Mix the yeast mixture gently with a wooden or plastic spoon.

  • Allow the yeast to rest in a warm place for about 5 minutes. It will be foamy when it is ready.

  • Add the melted butter to the yeast mixture, give it a gentle stir with your wooden spoon.

  • Add the salt and flour, one cup at a time, gently mixing with a wooden spoon until all of the flour is incorporated and the dough no longer feels sticky. If you need to, add extra flour, one half cup at a time.

  • Pull the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and flexible, and not sticky.

  • Place the dough in an oiled/ buttered bowl. You can drizzle a little (less than a teaspoon) of oil or cooled melted butter, directly onto the dough to keep it from drying out.

  • Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size.

  • While the dough rises, prepare the bath by adding the water and baking soda and stirring them together. The soda will settle and need to be stirred frequently during the dipping process. No boiling is required, just a simple dunk into the cold water.

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

  • Tear off sections of dough that are about the size of small oranges, and roll the shape of the dough into uniform balls.

  • Pick up the dough balls and dip them into the baking soda water and press it on a baking sheet.

  • Leave about 2” of space between the dough balls.

  • Using a sharp knife, score the bread balls 2 to 4 times with a sharp knife. This doesn’t have to be perfect; things will even out during the baking process.

  • Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

  • When you remove the bowls from the oven, you can brush them with melted butter, if you like.

  • Allow the bowls to cool for at least 20 minutes before you hollow out the centers.

  • When the bread bowls are cool to the touch, with a bread knife, slice the top off.

  • The trimming should just be a thin slice of crust from the top. Set aside.

  • With a spoon, hollow out the fluffy center of the bread bowl. Be gentle as you reach the bottom of the bowl to leave the crust intact.

  • Ladle in your favorite soup or stew and top the bowls with the little top crust that was trimmed earlier.

Notes

The baking soda bath gives the bread bowls a lovely golden brown crust without the risk of over-baking. It adds a lovely extra chewiness to the crust that makes it well worth the effort of dunking the dough balls.

LEFTOVERS: Store them in an airtight container and hollow them out as needed. You
can also enjoy these bread bowls as large dinner rolls or sandwich buns.

Homemade Bread Bowls - Bread Bowl Recipe - easy food (6)
Homemade Bread Bowls - Bread Bowl Recipe - easy food (7)
Homemade Bread Bowls - Bread Bowl Recipe - easy food (8)

Homemade Bread Bowls - Bread Bowl Recipe - easy food (9)

Liz Nieman

Liz is a just a mom trying to keep it real about how little she sleeps, how often she gets puked on and how much she loves them. You can find her here every day writing about real-mom moments.

loveandmarriageblog.com

Related posts:

  1. Easy Homemade Creamsicle Pops
  2. Animal Cookie Snack Mix
  3. Halloween Pina Coladas aka ‘Boo-Ladas’
Homemade Bread Bowls - Bread Bowl Recipe - easy food (2024)

FAQs

How do bread bowls not get soggy? ›

An issue that a home cook may encounter is bread bowls becoming too soggy too quickly. To avoid this sad fate, toasting your bread bowl is an easy preventative measure. Above all, a bread bowl's main job is to hold its soupy contents.

What type of bread is a bread bowl made of? ›

When is comes to making bread bowls, we prefer a round crusty loaf of artisanal or sourdough bread. This shape is sometimes referred to as a boule, which comes from the French word for ball. We use boules to create bread bowls for French Onion Soup.

What do they do with the inside of bread bowls? ›

Whatever you use to fill the bowl, it can be improved by sprinkling some of your bread crumbs on the top with a couple dots... Assuming that some or all of it isn't used as part of the filling, the soft insides are usually made into breadcrumbs for use elsewhere.

How long does it take for bread to rise in a bowl? ›

Begin with quality yeast. Pour warm water on top, give it a minute to combine and froth up, then add the rest of the dough ingredients. You know the dough is ready when it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Let it rise in a warm environment until (roughly) doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

How do you keep homemade bread from getting soggy? ›

Homemade bread including yeast breads and quick breads like banana bread should be completely cooled on a wire rack as soon as they're done baking. This prevents the bottom from getting soggy.

How do you keep bread soft and moist? ›

Resealable plastic bag: A resealable plastic bag seals in moisture and locks out air, keeping your bread soft.

What bread does Panera use for bread bowls? ›

Crafted from the same artisan Sourdough bread used in the classic Bread Bowl, the Double Bread Bowl features a crunchy crust and chewy center that pairs perfectly with all Panera soups, from sweet Creamy Tomato to the cheesy goodness of Broccoli Cheddar.

Why is it called cowboy bread? ›

Pan de Campo is also called Cowboy bread and is a sort of flat bread. The bread was eaten by Cowboys who worked the ranches in early Texas. The cowboys prepared it in small portable ovens which gave it its distinct texture and flavor.

What is the point of a bread bowl? ›

What is a Bread Bowl? You may have seen Bread Bowls at your local Panera Bread or Dominos. They are basically a large bread roll, hollowed out and filled with soup – and then you get to eat the bowl! Simply cut out the center of your bread bowl, fill with a delicious creamy soup, and enjoy.

What decor to put in bread bowl? ›

You can have some extra fun changing around your dough bowl this spring!
  1. Bunny figure or statue.
  2. Faux eggs or egg gourds.
  3. Green moss.
  4. Old books (hit up the thrift store for these!)
  5. Fresh or faux plant.
  6. Fresh or faux greenery.
  7. Pretty planter.
  8. Brown Kraft paper. (I always keep a roll handy to use for so many things!)

Do you eat the outside of a bread bowl? ›

You probably want to enjoy bread while you're eating the soup, but you don't want to destroy the bowl just yet. Fortunately, you can eat the lid of the bread bowl.

What happens if you don't knock back dough? ›

If the dough isn't punched down, the carbon dioxide will continue to be released, which can cause big, uneven air pockets in your bread. Additionally, if you don't knock back the dough, it can lead to a weaker gluten structure, meaning your bread may not maintain the desired shape.

Where is the best place to let dough rise? ›

A warm kitchen worktop, sunny windowsill or somewhere close to a radiator often works. You can also leave dough to rise in an oven but you do need to be very careful and also have an oven that can deal with lower temperatures. When you are mixing the dough preheat the oven to 50c (and no more than 60c).

Can I refrigerate bread dough before first rise? ›

Most bread recipes have two rises, a first rise (also called bulk fermentation), and a second or final rise. You can chill your dough during either the first or second rise. Your yeast won't give you much love if it's asked to do both rises in the fridge, so it's best to do one or the other at room temperature.

Why do bakers not like bread bowls? ›

That's because when it's turned into a bowl, much of the dough is carved out and discarded, which is just a waste of food. Not only should bakers hate it, but we all should! There are enough people in the world with food insecurity that we shouldn't be throwing out perfectly good bread.

What's the point of a bread bowl? ›

Bread bowls have been a popular cold-weather serving vessel for years now. Typically soups, bisques and chowders are the most common candidates served in this edible serving vessel.

Why did my bread come out soggy? ›

Let your dough rise enough before baking it

If the dough doesn't fill out with gas, perhaps because it hasn't had time to rise properly, the inside of the loaf will remain soggy and dense as the dough won't bake properly. You should therefore leave plenty of time for your dough to rise.

Why is my bread soggy after baking? ›

It's Not Cool Enough

We know it can be hard to resist cutting into your loaf as soon as it comes out of the oven, but try your best to hold back. Most loaves of bread should cool for at least 2 hours before cutting. When cut too soon, bread can appear soggy with a heavy, dense texture.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Tuan Roob DDS

Last Updated:

Views: 6330

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (62 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tuan Roob DDS

Birthday: 1999-11-20

Address: Suite 592 642 Pfannerstill Island, South Keila, LA 74970-3076

Phone: +9617721773649

Job: Marketing Producer

Hobby: Skydiving, Flag Football, Knitting, Running, Lego building, Hunting, Juggling

Introduction: My name is Tuan Roob DDS, I am a friendly, good, energetic, faithful, fantastic, gentle, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.